University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Virginia Tech
Baseball Whips Virginia Tech, 14-5
03/14/2002 | Baseball
March 14, 2002
RICHMOND, Va. - University of Richmond sophomore short stop Matt Craig went 3-4 with three RBI and three runs scored to lead the Spiders to a 14-5 win against Virginia Tech in college baseball action at Pitt Field.
Junior Vito Chiaravalloti continued his hot hitting by going 3-3 with five RBI and extending his career-long hit streak to 13 games. The left fielder drove in one run in the first with a single, two in the second with a double, one in the fourth with a single and his fifth in the seventh on a bases loaded walk. Junior David Reaver also collected three hits for the Spiders.
Richmond starter Mike McGirr improved to 3-1 on the season after allowing three runs on seven hits in 7.0 innings. He struck out seven and survived two Hokie home runs. The Richmond starter has now thrown 5.0+ innings in 67 consecutive games.
Virginia Tech leadoff hitter Chris Winterfeldt went 4-5 with one run scored and one RBI. He smashed his first home run of the season in the eighth.
The Spiders (14-1) took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the first. Center fielder Bryan Pritz led-off the game with a walk and stole second. After a pop out, Craig laced a tailing line drive double down the left field line that scored Pritz. Craig then scored on a Chiaravalloti single back up the middle.
Richmond scored two more with one out in the second and chased Virginia Tech starter Brett Cory (0-1). Freshman Jim Fasano led off the frame with a single up the middle and moved to second when Chris Dolan was beaned. Freshman John Cronin layed down a perfect bunt down the third base line and beat the throw for an infield single. After a Pritz sacrifice fly scored Fasano, Reaver singled through the right side and Dolan scored. Josh Biber then relieved Cory. Biber struck out Craig for the second out in the frame, but Chiaravalloti followed with a two-run line drive double off the right center wall and the Spiders led 6-0 after two.
Virginia Tech (5-6) scored its first run in the third when nine-slot hitter Spencer Harris drove his first homer of the season just over the glove of a leaping Pritz in center field.
Richmond's three and four-hole hitters combined on a two-out run in the fourth when Craig drove a double to the right center wall and then came home when Chiaravalloti ripped a single past the third baseman. The Spiders led 7-1 after four innings.
Craig drove in his second run of the game in the sixth when he lifted a sac fly to left field that scored Reaver, who had tripled to right center.
The Hokies' Jed English powered his first homer of the season, a two-run shot, into the left field trees that cut the lead to 8-3 in the seventh.
A six-run seventh opened up a 14-3 lead for the Spiders. After the first batter was retired, the next eight Spiders reached and six of them scored. Fasano scored the first run after a double and Reaver had an RBI single in the frame. Adam Tidball salvaged a tough afternoon at the plate by ripping a two-run double to the left field wall.
Chris Winterfeldt belted the Hokies third home run of the game with his solo shot in the eighth that made it 14-4. The Hokies added a run in the ninth when a Harris ground out scored Brian Copeland who singled to lead off the inning.
Richmond will be back in action at Noon on Saturday, March 16 when it hosts Penn State. The Spiders and Nittany Lions will complete their two-game set with a 1 p.m. game on Sunday, March 17.
